Semipalmated Plover, Dunlin, and Ruddy Turnstone at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center

When I returned to El Paso on Monday, there were a couple of Dunlin remaining.





Only one of the Ruddy Turnstones was still around. The other two had left, apparently.





It was interesting to see how small this shorebird looked standing next to a European Starling.





This Killdeer was looking dapper.



Here is one of the Semipalmated Sandpipers present.



But perhaps the bird I most enjoyed photographing was this Semipalmated Plover since this was the first I had seen in a while.

Three Ruddy Turnstones at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center

The morning after seeing the two Ruddy Turnstones and the Red-necked Phalarope, I went back to see them again with Wayne Hochstetler. This time, the phalarope was gone, but there was an additional turnstone. So now their were three Ruddy Turnstones.









Other shorebirds present included 10 Spotted Sandpipers, 12 Semipalmated Sandpipers, and 24 Dunlin.

Ruddy Turnstones and Red-necked Phalarope at the El Paso Sewage Treatment Center

After work on Friday, May 22, I went to Ewing Park to look for Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. I got a couple glimpses of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo way up in the canopy, and I was looking for the flycatcher when I received a call from Matthew Cvetas asking if I had intel on 5 Red-necked Grebes that had been seen the previous day at the El Paso Sewage Treatment Center. I checked ebird and called Ted Hartzler to learn that not only was one of the Red-necked Phalarope there, but there were also two Ruddy Turnstones present.

I hiked back to my car and drove straight to El Paso where I ran into Don Hartzler. We saw 25 Dunlin, 12 Semipalmated Sandpipers, and a Stilt Sandpiper in the Northwest lagoon. Although the first photo is blurred by the haze, you can see what a beautifully patterned bird the Stilt Sandpiper was.





We found the remaining Red-necked Phalarope, the first I had ever seen in breeding plumage, in the center lagoon.





When we checked the Northwest lagoon again, we located the Ruddy Turnstone pair.











Here is a photo of the two Turnstones with a Dunlin and a Semipalmated Sandpiper.



I thought this photo of the Red-necked Phalarope next to a Ruddy Duck illustrated how small the Red-necked Phalaropes actually are.



Other shorebirds we saw at El Paso that evening included 1 Semipalmated Plover, 6 Killdeer, 6 Spotted Sandpipers, and 4 Least Sandpipers. Also of interest were 1 Blue-winged Teal, 1 Lesser Scaup, 2 Ruddy Ducks, 2 Black Terns, and an American Pipit.

Eastern Whip-poor-will, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and Black-billed Cuckoo at Ewing Park in Bloomington, IL

On Sunday afternoon, May 10, 2015, I went to Ewing Park to look for the Eastern Whip-poor-will seen by the JWP Audubon Society Ewing walk group, led by Les Allen, that morning. I searched for 20-30 minutes without success when I noticed this Black-throated Blue Warbler that Michael Retter had reported the previous day. This bird was not very cooperative, flitting around above me, poorly lit, in the middle of Hedge Apple Woods, but I did manage one decent shot.



Next I saw an American Redstart and a Black-and-white Warbler.





Finally, I saw a whip-poor-will from the trail perched high up in a tree. I had never before seen one during the day, and it was much larger than I had imagined.









I ran into Wes Kolb, who was looking for the Black-throated Blue Warbler, and I showed him the Eastern Whip-poor-will. Next Paula Aschim and Tim Garvey showed up. I called Wayne Hochstetler to let him know about the whip-poor-will. Both Wayne and his wife Lois arrived a little while later in time to see the whip-poor-will. Wes relocated the Black-throated Blue, and we saw three Scarlet Tanagers. Then Lois Hochstetler found this Black-billed Cuckoo. It was the first one I had seen in three years.





Other birds present included Olive-sided Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Veery, Swainson's Thrush, Northern Waterthrush, Golden-winged Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

The next morning, I relocated the Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Wilson's Phalarope at El Paso Sewage Treatment Center

Dunlin at Salem Ranch in Livingston County, IL

Warblers and Other Migrants at Ewing Park

Yesterday, I went to Ewing Park to see what migrants were passing through. I ran into Wes Kolb and Marty Greenham, and we birded together. I also saw Given Harper, who was leading a group from Illinois Wesleyan, Paula Aschim, and Tim Garvey.

I had ten warbler species: Blue-winged, Black-and-white, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Yellow, Palm, Yellow-rumped, and Black-throated Green.

Here are a few shots of the Blue-winged. There were at least two Blue-winged Warblers, and they were both frequently singing.







The two Black-throated Green Warblers were also singing, when I photographed them.



There were at least three Blackburnian Warblers.



This Magnolia Warbler was a special treat.



Here is a shot of the Yellow Warbler.



Wes saw a waterthrush. While Marty, Wes, and I were trying to relocate it, we saw this female Purple Finch drinking from the stream.



I also saw three vireo species: Blue-headed, Red-eyed, and Yellow-throated. Here are a couple of shots of the Yellow-throated Vireo.





Other migrants in the park included Wood Thrush, Brown Thrasher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Indigo Bunting, and Baltimore Oriole.